Close proximity to HID lights

I have some 400w MH and HPS lights that are now on the ceiling. (They can be raised and lowered) I have read that the MH bulbs have a protective coating on/in the outer bulb that absorbs UVA. After a week or so of spending about 20 to 30 min a day sitting under them while examining the plants, I started to itch BADLY. It got so bad I ended up in the ER. They gave me a corticosteroid shot and releif was almost immediate. after the medications (a weeks worth of oral steroids) were gone, it returned with a vengance. It was at THIS point that I started looking at the lights as a possible cause. I examined my MH bulb, and discovered that it was indeed broken (Glass bulb loose in the brass base, and separated when I tried to remove it!!!) There are warnings about damaging that liner/coating, so I immediately replaced it.
Has ANYONE else had or heard of anything like this? I am REALLY hoping that it was in fact due to the exposure to the lights. I can avoid that in the future, if it wasn't, I have no clue whats going on and am SO severely fucked. It got SO BAD that it was like an entire colony of fire ants on me for days on end, and everywhere I can reach is scabbed over fron scratching. The addition of the lights was about the only environmental change that I made, so I am HOPING that I have ID'ed the cause.

Again, has anyone else heard of, or had a problem working under those lights in such close proximity? DO you work or spend any significant time under them? This shit has me REALLY freaked.

that sounds really terrible, sorry to hear that you had to go through that. did you explain your exposure to a damaged HID light to a doctor when you went back for treatment the second time?

better to be safe than sorry, sounds like your condition is extreme and you should consult a doctor and give him the information you posted here. good luck-

people can also have allergic reactions to weed, you might want to look into that too...